Surfing Madonna's Housewarming Brings in Thousands

The future of the mosaic that brought international recognition to a relatively quiet corner of the world is now solidified. The “Surfing Madonna,” known formally as “Save the Ocean” is back in public view after over a yearlong journey to find it a home.

The community came out to celebrate the Leucadia icon and the message that she represents at a fundraiser for the Surfing Madonna Oceans Project foundation at Cafe Ipe Wednesday.

“It’s about preserving and protecting our ocean,” Mark Patterson, the artist said.

The organization has raised $8,000 according to one board member and expects other neighborhood gatherings to match that amount over the next few months. 

Patterson said the foundation is exploring funding opportunities for local ocean improvement projects.

Patterson and a crew quietly installed the work at the café on June 24, almost one year to the day it was removed from public property. “It feels so nice just to have it out of storage,” Patterson said as he stood and looked up at the mosaic from the courtyard of Cape Ipe. The relatively new coffeehouse at the corner of N. Coast Hwy. and Jasper is now home to the iconic piece.

On June 22, 2011, the “Surfing Madonna,” was removed with little fanfare and minimal damage to the artwork and the concrete underpass on Encinitas Boulevard just east of Hwy. 101. Patterson was adamant that it be remain on public property, as it was his “gift to the city.”

He promised the following day that "it's staying in Encinitas, even if that means it stays in my garage for an indefinite period of time."

“I was very invested in the idea of it being public,” Patterson said. Even if the location is private, visitors have access to view it from the street and sidewalk.

Dave Thomas and Karen Pankopf, owners of Café Ipe said word has spread quickly about the mosaic’s new location. “We love it. It’s helped our business a lot,” she said. In fact, customers and the staff are so supportive that the café now roasts a special blend of coffee called “Madonna’s Elixer.”

A portion of the proceeds from each sale goes to the foundation. Patterson is a regular at the café Thomas said.

Adam Carruth, owner of Carruth Cellars, a boutique winery in Solana Beach, created a Surfing Madonna wine and donates $3 from the sale of each bottle to the foundation. “I was inspired by the message from the beginning. He snapped a photo of the mosaic before it was removed from the underpass and made a wine label.

“I want to help save the ocean, that’s what it’s all about,” he said.

A group of artists dressed as construction workers boldly installed the piece in broad daylight on April 22. It depicts Our Lady of Guadalupe on a surfboard with the words “Save the Ocean” down the side. It has been labeled vandalism by city staff, some former council members and various residents, including other artists.

However, the mosaic continues to garner national media attention and widespread local support mounted for its preservation. “It’s become part of our culture,” Patterson said, referring to the “Surfing Madonna.”

Patterson agreed to remove the piece from the underpass last year at his own expense and pay a $500 fine. The artist also agreed to cover the city's expenses related to the art consultants' work, estimated to be $2,000.

Patterson hired a local company-Tekton Master Builders-at a personal cost of approximately $4,000 to remove the six panels, each weighing about 40 pounds. He supervised the removal effort as well.

"I was so glad the workmen knew exactly what they were doing," he said at the time.

While it look less than two hours to get the 10-foot-by-10-foot mosaic down from the underpass, Patterson estimated it took at least six hours to install in the new location. The owner of the building, Keith Harrison and Patterson agreed to a long term loan.

“But with private property you never know what will happen to the building,” Patterson said. For now, he’s content to have the public enjoying the mosaic.

The City Council agreed to support the installation of the piece on state-owned land at the entrance of Moonlight Beach earlier this year. However, the assembly declined, citing the mosaic’s religious icon as a violation of church and state.

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